March 2026- AbbVie has announced a multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball, becoming the league’s Official Pharmaceutical Partner starting with the 2026 season. The collaboration represents a first-of-its-kind agreement for the company and expands its “Striking Out Cancer” initiative to a national level.
Originally introduced during the 2025 MLB season through AbbVie’s work with the Chicago Cubs, the campaign will now extend across the entire league in 2026, moving beyond its initial base in Chicago to reach a wider audience.
Under the initiative, AbbVie will contribute $20 for every strikeout recorded during the MLB season, with total donations capped at $1 million annually. The per-strikeout contribution reflects estimates from the World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory, which indicate that 20 percent of the global population will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 75. With approximately 40,000 strikeouts recorded each season, the campaign is expected to generate sustained support for cancer awareness, advocacy and research throughout the year.
The “Striking Out Cancer” initiative will be integrated into all MLB games across markets and will include additional donation opportunities during key league events, along with special contributions in the event of milestones such as perfect games or no-hitters.
Funds raised through the campaign will support Stand Up To Cancer, which focuses on accelerating cancer research and raising public awareness.
“Cancer impacts millions of families, and partnerships like this allow us to meet people where they are and spark meaningful conversations around awareness and action,” said Tracie Haas, senior vice president, corporate affairs, AbbVie. “By expanding Striking Out Cancer across Major League Baseball, we can elevate awareness and reinforce our commitment to helping make a real difference for patients, their families and communities.”
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“We’re proud to partner with AbbVie and expand this important initiative across the league,” said April Brown, MLB senior vice president, social responsibility. “The partnership with AbbVie exemplifies the transformative potential of sports-driven advocacy. By channeling the excitement and energy of every strikeout, the partnership delivers more than just a statistic on the field. Each “K” recorded during the season offers another opportunity in the fight against a disease that impacts the lives of so many.”
“We are tremendously grateful to AbbVie for selecting Stand Up To Cancer as the beneficiary of Striking Out Cancer,” said Rusty Robertson, co-founder, Stand Up To Cancer. “Collaborations like these help accelerate our mission to raise awareness and to bring new cancer treatments to patients. We are equally thankful to Major League Baseball, our founding donor, whose longstanding support has been instrumental in advancing groundbreaking cancer research. Together with the support of AbbVie and MLB, we continue to drive progress and offer hope to patients and families everywhere.”
